basictraining
Start at home
Killer mistakes
As with any complicated endeavor, there are some pitfalls to
avoid. The worst mistake is the most common—simply failing
to plan. But there are other traps as well.
For instance, there’s the temptation to hire or promote a successor—at any level, in any function—“on the cheap.” Some
organizations are frugal by nature, and others may try to keep
their heads down during difficult economic times. But saving a
few salary or bonus dollars can be an explosively false economy. We’ve seen organizations collapse under the weight of the
low-priced and under-qualified successors they brought in.
Then there’s the danger of overestimating our ability to
judge who has the right stuff. Skills and experience are easy to
find; talent is not—and we need to know our own limitations
in spotting talent.
Inflexibility is also a mistake, sometimes a fatal one. Change
is difficult, but it might be a survival necessity. Maintaining the
status quo may initially be comforting, but it might cause you
to miss the last bus to the future.
It’s also easy to procrastinate, which is merely a slow and
painful way of not doing what must be done. Once you come
to grips with the realities that your plan doesn’t exist, is hopelessly out of date, or doesn’t come close to covering all the
bases, you need an action agenda for plan development that
includes specific assignments and responsibilities, timelines
and milestones, and progress tracking and communications.
What’s at stake? Your organization—and your personal
future. ;
